I could not agree more. As an American living in Korea, I've had ample opportunity to experience their cinema in it's raw form, unchanged for foreign audiences. This small country of 50 million people produce movies that blow Hollywood off the map. Even when they choose to remake some American craptastic spectacle of film, it usually turns out infinitely better and always more watchable, damn the complaints about subtitles! I'll take those with a good story over Hollywood tripe anyday.
Whats wrong with hollywood - a few thoughts
- Thread starter EyeofSauron
- Start date
I could not agree more. As an American living in Korea, I've had ample opportunity to experience their cinema in it's raw form, unchanged for foreign audiences. This small country of 50 million people produce movies that blow Hollywood off the map. Even when they choose to remake some American craptastic spectacle of film, it usually turns out infinitely better and always more watchable, damn the complaints about subtitles! I'll take those with a good story over Hollywood tripe anyday.
Unlucky Berman
New Member
@SOTI
Korea reminds me about a war (or antiwar) movie, which was named Brotherhood in Europe. Don't know the original name but it was set in the Korea War and followed two brothers who fought first on the same side and later against each other.
It is an amazing movie in a style similiar to Hollywood war movies but then much better and realistic also it does not have this overdone pathos that american movies usually have where everything is black and white even in war. It was a lot more dirty than their things and showed the crimes on both sides. In the end the whole story about the two brothers is also a parable about what happened to the whole country at that time. Families were destroyed and found each other on different sides of the frontier and ideology at that time without knowing why and when it happened.
So at least I can see what you mean. Even when Koreans try to make something hollywoodlike it could be a lot better than what comes out of the USA nowadays.
Korea reminds me about a war (or antiwar) movie, which was named Brotherhood in Europe. Don't know the original name but it was set in the Korea War and followed two brothers who fought first on the same side and later against each other.
It is an amazing movie in a style similiar to Hollywood war movies but then much better and realistic also it does not have this overdone pathos that american movies usually have where everything is black and white even in war. It was a lot more dirty than their things and showed the crimes on both sides. In the end the whole story about the two brothers is also a parable about what happened to the whole country at that time. Families were destroyed and found each other on different sides of the frontier and ideology at that time without knowing why and when it happened.
So at least I can see what you mean. Even when Koreans try to make something hollywoodlike it could be a lot better than what comes out of the USA nowadays.
I know that movie. It is one of Korea's proudest cinema achievements. The full name in Romanized Korean is Taegukgi Hwinal Rimyeo. The actor who played the younger brother is Won Bin, and has come into his own. You should see his latest film, "Man from Nowhere" YouTube - The Man From Nowhere Trailer (Official English Trailer) starring Won Bin‏
It's like "Man on Fire" without the 2 hour snore-fest waiting for the final 30 minutes of action.
For a GREAT monster-movie, watch "The Host"; YouTube - THE HOST "On Par With Jaws!" Ain't it Cool News NOW ON DVD‏
Forestmoonstudio
Sr Member
That's the reason I built a Home Theater. Couldn't stand other people in the theater.
Besides....I only have to wait a few months for movies to be released on Blu-ray. With my screen and sound system....I feel like I am in a big theater.
jlee562
Sr Member
I agree with what you wrote about 3D, CGI, and money. Although I wouldn't personally go as far as to say that even Avatar was worth being in 3d. But I have to disagree on this point.
Increasingly, films are catering to a global audience. Pirates 4 opened in other parts of the world before it opened here. And they got a MASSIVE opening weekend overseas. The worldwide gross was much higher than the domestic gross. The problem now becomes sticking to themes that are more generally recognizable and not culturally specific. This adds up to a film that looks for the lowest common denominator.
Not to burst any bubbles, but it's quite the norm for a movie to open in foreign markets well before thay appear in US theaters. Even some blockbuster mega-budget films. In fact, America is often among the last market to get a film. I'm pretty sure Avatar opened in Thailand(where I saw it) before America.
Jedi2016
Sr Member
Sometimes to the point of ridiculousness. I saw Taken on DVD (European) before it even hit theaters here in the States.
BrotherWilliam
Well-Known Member
I think the global release is a relatively recent thing and has only become the norm in the last 10 years.
When VCRs were the big deal you could wait a year or more for a movie to be released on home video. By the time DVDs arrived the turnaround had become quicker, though still a good 6 months.
In Australia, the big blockbuster season is Christmas. So the Summer Blockbusters in the US were held over till summer downunder for release here. Not only did that mean the studios didn't have to get a whole bunch of extra prints made up, but they could gauge possible success based on boxoffice in the US.
Now that nearly every man and his dog has a mobile phone or access to the internet Hollywood is playing catchup. When the Blair Witch Project was released in the US it was a big deal. But it was released on DVD within about 4 months and people in Oz who were dying to see it ordered the Region 1 DVD. On the small screen most of the nausea inducing stuff goes away and it was pretty meh. Local distributors started ranting against Amazon and the like for selling to people outside the US. :confused
So now international release is more common because distributors know that if they release it outside the US there's a chance that bootleg versions will do the rounds first or if they release US first then online reviews will influence people and potentially kill off the "event buzz".
Yeah Pirates 4 got simultaneous release. So did the X-Men movies. Green Lantern though, has still not reached Australia and won't till August. Not everything is getting simultaneous release.
When VCRs were the big deal you could wait a year or more for a movie to be released on home video. By the time DVDs arrived the turnaround had become quicker, though still a good 6 months.
In Australia, the big blockbuster season is Christmas. So the Summer Blockbusters in the US were held over till summer downunder for release here. Not only did that mean the studios didn't have to get a whole bunch of extra prints made up, but they could gauge possible success based on boxoffice in the US.
Now that nearly every man and his dog has a mobile phone or access to the internet Hollywood is playing catchup. When the Blair Witch Project was released in the US it was a big deal. But it was released on DVD within about 4 months and people in Oz who were dying to see it ordered the Region 1 DVD. On the small screen most of the nausea inducing stuff goes away and it was pretty meh. Local distributors started ranting against Amazon and the like for selling to people outside the US. :confused
So now international release is more common because distributors know that if they release it outside the US there's a chance that bootleg versions will do the rounds first or if they release US first then online reviews will influence people and potentially kill off the "event buzz".
Yeah Pirates 4 got simultaneous release. So did the X-Men movies. Green Lantern though, has still not reached Australia and won't till August. Not everything is getting simultaneous release.
This IS the answer.
Endless diatribes, from the usual suspects, aside.
Man, some of you guys really like to hear yourselves talk.
:rolleyes
God forbid people discuss things during a discussion!
lol. You sound like someone who'd wander into an orgy and ask; "Why are you all naked?"
I love how you fail to realize that by posting anything at all, you lump yourself in with the very people you mean to ridicule. Specially using words like "diatribe"... verbal masturbation, anyone? :lol
Solo4114
Master Member
Bit harsh, but that's Mic's thing. You get used to it.
EyeofSauron
Master Member
I agree, I saw pirates 4, because the same day they showed scream 4 directly afterwards, both in English (german cinema) I still think my point is valid, even more now. Because we actually read reviews here before watching a film
and when they are opening here first, there are no reviews. Americans can't be bothered with an European review, as far as I have seen so far. So with opening in Europe first, they avoid that we read reviews first. On the other babd, super 8 won't open till august here *sadface*
The arguement should be that Hollywood has actual got alot of things right. As an industry for film making its has survived very successfully from WW1 into a new century that has seen extraordinary technological changes to the way all media has come to dominate our lives.
I'm not disagreeing with alot of statements made about CGI and 3D. All industries have development phases and the Hollywood studios are no different. They are simply trying to provide a product that will appeal to the largest section of the public possible so they can make a profit and more product. Lets be honest, 3D and CGI are relatively new tools to the film makers box and as we have seen it takes a skillfull director to craft a good bit of cinema artistry out of them.
Notice I say a good film, not necessarily a successful box office release. Given the outstanding performances of Pirates and Transformers this year, the storyline means zip to the majority of people who went to see them, and thats because most of them are not as critically intollerant of them as the average experienced member of the RPF.We love and worship our films. They,the general public are mainly families who just want the buzz of something spectacular for a few hours as part of a reasonably good night out. They don't want to build a religion out of them. And 3D and CGI does deliver brilliant eye candy in spades that leaves a lot of people very happy , particularly the younger members of the audiences. I dare anyone to say how great the effects were forty years ago in comparisson to todays. They wern't. We just think that they were because they belonged to us.
But it T'was ever the same. Give the audience what it will pay to see. From silent films to talkies. From B/W to Colour. From celluloid to digital. A new format ,providing it puts the bums on seats and keeps them coming there will always supplant the old.
If it doesn't work it gets dropped, 3D is a case in point. It died before because it was poorly done and it will die again if the studios try to make a quick buck on rubbish conversions. I had to laugh when I read George Lucas has now said that if EP1 in 3D doesn't make money then the others will never get done now. This is probably due to the fact the public have not been at all impressed with the 3D rush jobs out there. I've seen nothing that has come even close to Avatar and I doubt that I will until 2 and 3 are made. Yes, the story was weak and unoriginal as sci fi goes but by hell it worked brilliantly when matched with the beauty and thrill of those visuals. And I am sure as damn it will never be going to see those first three SWs in 3D. But the newer generations might.
Movie genres change in popularity with the ability of a film studio to deliver a convincing visual story.Years ago it was Westerns, Musicals, War movies, Weepies and Love stories but they have faded in popularity.Comedies have endured as have some Thrillers. But now, to deliver huge box office returns its got to be Fantasy , Sci fi and Super Hero. Why? Because no matter how weak the story may be the studios can make it looks very good, convincingly realistic. IT DOESN'T MATTER how poor the toy will be to play with after a couple of hours, it looked great in the packaging at the time. Don't like it well ,they will bring out a new one next year.
There will be always be the odd classic and there will be guff. Lots of Guffs. TV is filled with channels of old celluloid washing over its screens trying to sweep in an audience. And I hate to say it but it all looks very dated now. Because in truth it is. The films I loved are ,unfortunately like me now , decades old and I mourn the passing of those years.
But the fact is there are still great films coming out. Inception and Avatar rocked my boat last year. This year I enjoyed Thor and X men First Class far more than I thought I would. There's still plenty to come and some of those may yet surprise us. For the future the Hobbit for one would do nicely.
So give Hollywood a break. It has its faults but the good thing is it produces films ,for better (and worse) despite many thosands of predictions for the decline and death of cinema.. It still here, and to judge from the number of people trying to get into our local multiplex it will be going for a good few years yet.
I'm not disagreeing with alot of statements made about CGI and 3D. All industries have development phases and the Hollywood studios are no different. They are simply trying to provide a product that will appeal to the largest section of the public possible so they can make a profit and more product. Lets be honest, 3D and CGI are relatively new tools to the film makers box and as we have seen it takes a skillfull director to craft a good bit of cinema artistry out of them.
Notice I say a good film, not necessarily a successful box office release. Given the outstanding performances of Pirates and Transformers this year, the storyline means zip to the majority of people who went to see them, and thats because most of them are not as critically intollerant of them as the average experienced member of the RPF.We love and worship our films. They,the general public are mainly families who just want the buzz of something spectacular for a few hours as part of a reasonably good night out. They don't want to build a religion out of them. And 3D and CGI does deliver brilliant eye candy in spades that leaves a lot of people very happy , particularly the younger members of the audiences. I dare anyone to say how great the effects were forty years ago in comparisson to todays. They wern't. We just think that they were because they belonged to us.
But it T'was ever the same. Give the audience what it will pay to see. From silent films to talkies. From B/W to Colour. From celluloid to digital. A new format ,providing it puts the bums on seats and keeps them coming there will always supplant the old.
If it doesn't work it gets dropped, 3D is a case in point. It died before because it was poorly done and it will die again if the studios try to make a quick buck on rubbish conversions. I had to laugh when I read George Lucas has now said that if EP1 in 3D doesn't make money then the others will never get done now. This is probably due to the fact the public have not been at all impressed with the 3D rush jobs out there. I've seen nothing that has come even close to Avatar and I doubt that I will until 2 and 3 are made. Yes, the story was weak and unoriginal as sci fi goes but by hell it worked brilliantly when matched with the beauty and thrill of those visuals. And I am sure as damn it will never be going to see those first three SWs in 3D. But the newer generations might.
Movie genres change in popularity with the ability of a film studio to deliver a convincing visual story.Years ago it was Westerns, Musicals, War movies, Weepies and Love stories but they have faded in popularity.Comedies have endured as have some Thrillers. But now, to deliver huge box office returns its got to be Fantasy , Sci fi and Super Hero. Why? Because no matter how weak the story may be the studios can make it looks very good, convincingly realistic. IT DOESN'T MATTER how poor the toy will be to play with after a couple of hours, it looked great in the packaging at the time. Don't like it well ,they will bring out a new one next year.
There will be always be the odd classic and there will be guff. Lots of Guffs. TV is filled with channels of old celluloid washing over its screens trying to sweep in an audience. And I hate to say it but it all looks very dated now. Because in truth it is. The films I loved are ,unfortunately like me now , decades old and I mourn the passing of those years.
But the fact is there are still great films coming out. Inception and Avatar rocked my boat last year. This year I enjoyed Thor and X men First Class far more than I thought I would. There's still plenty to come and some of those may yet surprise us. For the future the Hobbit for one would do nicely.
So give Hollywood a break. It has its faults but the good thing is it produces films ,for better (and worse) despite many thosands of predictions for the decline and death of cinema.. It still here, and to judge from the number of people trying to get into our local multiplex it will be going for a good few years yet.
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Yeah. My bad, but I wrote it, and I own it. I hate backpeddlars. I will say I stand by the general thought. I could completely understand complaining about writing a "novel-length post" in someone's build thread, but this is a discussion thread plain and simple. If there was ever a place to be a wordy *******(and I am guilty of that for sure), would be here.
I think he meant I was harsh on you. I definitely didn't come here to make enemies. If you were offended by what I wrote, that was not my intention, but something tells me you're not losing any sleep over it.
jlee562
Sr Member
I would not say it is inherently "pandering" to the lowest common denominator, but in practice it has played out that way.
